Dance

Dance is dynamic and powerful. It embodies our ideas, thoughts, emotions and values and provides a unique opportunity to develop physically, creatively, aesthetically, emotionally and intellectually.

The Dance course develops and presents ideas through a variety of genres, styles and forms, as it provides a unique way in which to express our cultural view and understanding of the world. Our students will gain an understanding of the physical competencies specific to dance, while learning to use the body as a medium for artistic expression. Students reflect on, respond to, and evaluate how dance styles and forms are historically derived and culturally valued.In performing dance, technical, design and expressive skills are incorporated and developed.

Through participation in the Dance course, our students develop transferable skills essential to their future. These include communication skills, collaborative teamwork skills, negotiation and conflict resolution skills, problem solving skills, as well as the ability to organise, analyse and evaluate. Participation may lead to opportunities for future study in dance or related arts fields.

This is a high energy fun filled course that will give the students a chance to try different genres of popular Dance. The course will provide students with the basic fundamental skills and technique of Dance. Areas covered include Arts skills and Processes as well as Arts Responses. It is possible that the students will have an outside specialist to give special dance skills.

Most classes will include Dance technique and the opportunity to create movement sequences within small groups. It is possible that students will have the opportunity to perform to an audience.

This is the first course of dance in a series of four, and provides the student with a background in the fundamental skills and technique of dance. It does not relate to any one specific dance style but forms the basis of study for all other courses in this area. Areas covered include the Australian Curriculum-generating and realizing as well as responding. It is possible that students have an outside specialist to give special dance skills.

This course provides opportunities for students to extend the skills learned in the previous course by using jazz and contemporary dance styles as a medium for expression. Most classes will include technique and the opportunity to create movement sequences in these two dance styles. It is possible that students have an outside specialist to give special dance skills.

Semester OneThis course extends a student’s repertoire of skills and technique in Jazz & Contemporary dance. The specific skills and processes of composition & choreography will be a focal point as we explore dance in our modern Australian society. Students could perform in a combined schools dance concert and attend live dance performances.

Semester twoThis course has a focus on performance and choreography in Jazz dance. Students will explore using aspects of technology in their own choreography. The course will incorporate all four Arts strands. Students could perform in a combined schools dance concert.

The Dance General course acknowledges the interrelationship between practical and theoretical aspects of dance – the making and performing of movement and the appreciation of its meaning. Through decision-making in individual and group work, students use a wide range of creative processes, such as improvisation and the use of choreographic elements and devices to create dance works. They also learn how dance styles and forms are historically derived and culturally valued. Through dance, students experience an intrinsic sense of enjoyment and have an opportunity to achieve a high level of movement skills. The course is divided into two main content areas; Performance and Contextual KnowledgeThe course has a focus on’ ‘Exploring the Components of Dance’ and ‘Dance for Entertainment’. Practical work is the main focus of this unit with 70% of the course being practical.

ATAR Unit

The Dance ATAR course acknowledges the interrelationship between practical and theoretical aspects of dance – the making and performing of movement and the appreciation of its meaning. Through critical decision-making in individual and group work, movement is manipulated and refined to reflect the choreographer’s intent. Students use a wide range of creative processes, such as improvisation and the use of choreographic elements and devices and draw on their own physicality and the interpretation of existing work of others to create unique dance works. They investigate how technologies are used to extend and enhance dance design. They also learn how dance styles and forms are historically derived and culturally valued. Through dance, students experience an intrinsic sense of enjoyment and have an opportunity to achieve a high level of movement skills. The course is divided into two main content areas; Performance and Contextual Knowledge The course has a focus on ‘Popular Culture’, and ‘Australian Dance’. Practical work is the main focus of this unit with 60% of this course being practical.

The ATAR course acknowledges the interrelationship between the practical and theoretical aspects of dance. Through critical decision-making in individual and group work, movement is manipulated and refined to reflect the choreographer’s intent. Students use a wide range of creative processes, such as improvisation and the use of choreographic elements and devices, and draw on their own physicality and the interpretation of existing work of others to make dance works. They learn how the origins of dance and its importance as a form of expression and that it can represent a variety of political, cultural and historical motivations. The opportunity to present dance to an audience enables students to understand and undertake a wide range of production and design concepts, skills and roles. Dance may draw on other art forms such as music, art and electronic media to broaden students’ knowledge and interest in the Arts. Through participation in the Dance ATAR course, students develop transferable skills essential to their future. These include communication skills, collaborative teamwork skills, negotiation and conflict resolution skills, problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to organise, analyse and evaluate. Participation may lead to opportunities for future study in dance or related arts fields. The course is divided into two main content areas; Performance and Contextual Knowledge. The course has a focus on ‘Youth Voice’ and ‘Extending the Boundaries’.

General Course

The Dance General course acknowledges the interrelationship between the practical and theoretical aspects of dance. Through critical decision making in individual and group work, movement is manipulated and refined to reflect the choreographer’s intent. Students use a wide range of creative processes, such as improvisation and the use of choreographic elements and devices, and draw on their own physicality and the interpretation of existing work of others to make dance works. As a physical art form, dance is able to offer an opportunity for them to achieve a high level of movement skills. They learn about the origins of dance and its importance as a form of expression and that it can represent a variety of political, cultural and historical motivations. Through participation in the Dance General course, students develop transferable skills essential to their future. These include communication skills, collaborative teamwork skills, negotiation and conflict resolution skills, problem solving skills, as well as the ability to organise, analyse and evaluate. Participation may lead to opportunities for future study in dance or related arts fields. The course is divided into two main content areas; ‘Popular Culture’ and ‘Australian Dance’.